Point of sale (POS) display packaging and devices, such as clamshell packaging and hang tags are known in the art. POS display devices for eyewear, such as reading glasses, present special requirements. Often purchasers desire to try on glasses before purchasing them, both to evaluate the aesthetic appearance of the eyewear, and in the case of reading glasses to test that they provide suitable magnification. In addition, it is desirable to avoid packaging that will leave a residue, such as adhesive or the like, on the eyewear. However, eyewear is relatively compact. If the eyewear is removed from its packaging customers may neglect to put it back with its packaging. Moreover, the glasses may be inadvertently, or deliberately, pocketed or otherwise concealed and removed from the store.
Moreover, reading glasses, sun glasses and the like are often sold as a package with a case for the glasses. The case is typically sized for a particular pair of glasses or a limited number of reading glasses designs. Therefore, it is desirable to keep the glasses and the case together as a package, while also allowing the customer to try on the glasses without removing the glasses from its display packaging.
POS hang tags for eyewear is known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,129,617 (MacWilliamson) discloses a “Hang Tag For Displaying Eyeglasses”, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. MacWilliamson discloses an apparatus that includes a hang tag (10) having upper and lower temple slots (24, 26) that receive a temple piece (50) of the eyewear to attach it to the hang tag. A tongue portion (16) wraps around and through a slot (22) in the hang tag. An adhesive sealing tag (30) wraps around the temple piece of the eyewear, to secure it to the hang tag. This hang tag design has the disadvantage of requiring two-pieces for the packaging, placing the adhesive side of the tag directly on the eyewear temple piece, and does not include any means for also including a case for the glasses. A somewhat similar hang tag type of point of sale packaging is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,976,532 (Nyman), which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
A different packaging approach is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,772,878 (Liebers) titled “Package Containing Reading Glasses,” which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Liebers et al. discloses a transparent plastic clamshell-type package that includes an upper cavity (32) that receives a case (36), and a lower cavity (34) that receives a pair of reading glasses (38). The temples (42) of the reading glasses extend out through openings (40), and the bottom of the container is contoured, such that the user can try on the reading glasses while they are in the package. The packaging has the disadvantage of being relatively complex (and therefore relatively expensive), and requiring potential purchasers to look through the packaging while trying on the glasses to test for suitable magnification etc.
Therefore, there remains a need for point of sale packaging for reading glasses and the like that is relatively simple, includes means for securing the reading glasses with a suitable case, and that allows the user to try on the reading glasses without removing the glasses from the packaging.